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Apparatus and method for reducing image blur in a digital cameraApparatus and method for reducing image blur in a digital camera description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070188617, Apparatus and method for reducing image blur in a digital camera. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to digital photography and more specifically to apparatuses and techniques for reducing image blur in a digital camera. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] A pervasive problem in photography is blur due to camera motion. Some film cameras and other optical devices such as binoculars include highly sophisticated active image stabilization systems that deflect the image path slightly in a direction opposite of the camera motion. Such active stabilization systems are, however, both complex and expensive. [0003] One alternative is to use a faster lens. Digital cameras already use the fastest lens practical in terms of cost, size, and desired image quality. Lenses with maximum apertures of f/2 to f/2.8 are typical. Still faster lenses are much more expensive and bulky. [0004] It is thus apparent that there is a need in the art for a digital camera that reduces image blur without recourse to expensive or otherwise impractical solutions. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] A method for reducing image blur in a digital camera by the tracking of camera motion is provided. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided. [0006] Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] FIG. 1A is a functional block diagram of a digital camera in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. [0008] FIG. 1B is a conceptual diagram of the motion management logic shown in [0009] FIG. 1A in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. [0010] FIG. 1C is a circuit diagram of an input control in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. [0011] FIG. 2A is an illustration of a digital preview frame, of which a central portion is a motion measurement region, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. [0012] FIG. 2B is an illustration of a digital preview frame, of which a peripheral portion is a motion measurement region, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention [0013] FIG. 2C is an illustration of separate horizontal and vertical sets of picture elements that may be used in measuring the motion of a digital camera in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. [0014] FIG. 3A is an illustration of a movement trajectory of a digital camera in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. [0015] FIG. 3B is an illustrative plot of the magnitude of composite camera motion annotated with time and threshold parameters in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. [0016] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of the digital camera shown in FIG. 1A in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. [0017] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operation of the digital camera shown in FIG. 1A in accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0018] Camera motion or "shake" tends to be somewhat periodic in both the horizontal and vertical directions. At instants of direction reversal, the camera is nearly stationary, just as a child's swing is momentarily stationary at the instant it reaches the full extent of its travel in either direction. Image blur in a digital camera may therefore be reduced by delaying capture of a digital image, after actuation of the shutter release button, until the motion of the digital camera satisfies a motion criterion. For example, image capture may be delayed until camera motion reaches one of those instants of minimal motion (a local minimum). To avoid an unacceptable lag following actuation of the shutter release button, the delay may be constrained not to exceed a predetermined timeout period, or other criteria may be used to capture a digital image despite the motion criterion not being satisfied. Implementation of this technique requires some method for measuring the motion of the digital camera in approximately real time. Motion estimation algorithms may be relatively simple or quite complex. One example of sophisticated motion estimation well known in the video encoding art is that implemented in connection with the Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) video compression standards. [0019] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a digital camera 100 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 1A, controller 105 communicates over data bus 110 with imaging module 115, input control 120, display 125, motion management logic 130, timer 135, and memory 140. Memory 140 further comprises random-access memory (RAM) 145 and non-volatile memory 150. Optical system 155 produces optical images that are converted to digital images by imaging module 115. Optical system 155 may comprise, for example, a zoom lens. Imaging module 115 may comprise an array of photosensors based on charge-coupled-device (CCD) or CMOS technology, an analog-to-digital converter (A/D), a gain control, and a digital signal processor (DSP) (not shown in FIG. 1A). Imaging module 115 may be operated in a video preview mode in which digital preview frames are acquired at a rate of, for example, 30 frames per second and shown on display 125. Digital camera 100 may operate in this video preview mode while operations such as autofocus, autoexposure, and motion tracking are performed. A CMOS photosensor array has the advantage that pixels can be addressed directly like RAM, which simplifies and speeds the readout of the image data for these operations. Continue reading about Apparatus and method for reducing image blur in a digital camera... Full patent description for Apparatus and method for reducing image blur in a digital camera Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus and method for reducing image blur in a digital camera patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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